The dog days of summer are definitely here when we look at the weather, but as far as the fishing it has held up solidly. Beat the heat and catch the prime bite windows of early morning and late evenings.  

There are lots of people out on the lakes and reservoirs, so be sure to keep an eye out while traveling with a boat. Many small watercraft and paddle boards are enjoying the water each day, so be aware as you enjoy all of the fantastic fishing Grand County has to offer.

Grand Lake

Boat ramps are open 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Water temperatures have been in the mid to upper 60s. Fishing has been fair for rainbow trout and brown trout. The typical pattern of fishing early and late in the day to find the best bite has remained.

Silver and blue colored spoons and spinners fished in the inlet areas have been producing fish, while trolling the shoreline in 15 to 25 feet of water has also been producing fish when the sun hits the water and fish bump out to the deeper water.  

Lake trout action has been fair. Look for them in 50 to 100 feet of water. Jig head tipped with a two to three inch  green pumpkin colored plastic has been most consistent bait. Tip with fresh sucker and jig with subtle strokes close to the bottom.   

-Fishing with Bernie Guide, Dan Shannon

Williams Fork Reservoir

The east boat ramp hours are 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. The water level has dropped to 95%. Inflow is 24 cubic feet for second, outflow is 172 cfs. Surface temperatures dropped a bit; it’s been running 64 early morning and warming to 66 by mid-day. Visibility is excellent on the west side of the lake; jigs drop out of sight 12 to 15 feet down.

The east side algae is clouding the upper layer several feet down and causing some interference with sonar, if sensitivity is set high. For August, lake trout fishing is good. We’re catching mid to high teens of keeper-size fish on most trips. Early morning lakers can be found as shallow as 50 feet, but as the morning wears they move to deeper water. During late morning, look for them in 70 to 90 feet of water.

Small tubes or grubs tipped with sucker meat and scent jigged gently just barely off the bottom are producing the most bites. A 10-second-or-longer pause between jigs strokes helps with the bite.

Northern pike are slow, but every week I’m hearing of some being caught. I hit a few favorite old spots, and didn’t see one or get a bite. Please practice catch and release on all pikes caught. Rainbow trout haven’t been stocked for several years so it’s doubtful there’s any catchable fish in the lake. The recently stocked kokanee are between small and won’t be catchable for a few years.

-Fishing with Bernie Guide, Randy Hall

Lake Granby

Boat ramp hours are 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Water level is 93% or approximately 6 feet below full. Temperatures are upper 60s to start the morning and warming to low 70s by midday.

Fishing for rainbow trout and brown trout has been fair. Look for rainbows in 10 to 20 feet of water along the rip rap dam’s and rocky shorelines.

Blue, pink and silver spoons have been producing fish when worked with a lift fall retrieve. Alternatively, shore anglers are reporting success with worms fished close to the bottom along the banks that drop off quickly to deeper water. Trolling pop gear in 15 to 25 ft of water after the morning bite has been producing fish until midday.

Trolling pop gear is also producing some kokanee. Orange has been the predominant color, but be prepared to try the full color spectrum if chasing Lake Granby kokanee.  

Lake trout bite has been good. We are finding the most active fish in 65 to 95 feet of water. Tube jigs four inches and smaller in natural colors, grubs and marabou jigs are worth trying when the bite slows. Tip them with fresh sucker for best results and stay mobile, as not all groups of fish are actively feeding. –

-Fishing with Bernie Guide, Dan Shannon.  

The Fishing with Bernie team has been guiding in Grand County for over 25 years. For more info please check out FishingWithBernie.com.

Photo Caption:   Summertime lake trout fishing at it’s finest!  Angler Stephanie Shannon with her trophy lake trout caught on Lake Granby.